Jessica Hanson (born September 13, 1986) is an American politician serving in theMinnesota House of Representatives since 2021. A member of theMinnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), Hanson represents District 55A in the southernTwin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities ofBurnsville andSavage and parts ofDakota andScott Counties.^[1][2]

Hanson was born and raised inMinnesota.^[3] She earned a Bachelor of Science in social work fromSt. Catherine University and a Master of Arts in advocacy and political leadership fromMetropolitan State University.^[4] Hanson has worked as a dental network representative forAnthem since 2007.^[1]

Before her election to the legislature, Hanson led the Minnesota Campaign for Full Legalization, a nonprofit advocacy group focused onmarijuana legalization.^[5]

Hanson was first elected to district 56A of theMinnesota House of Representatives in2020 after one-termDFL incumbentHunter Cantrell announced he would not seek reelection. Hanson defeated formerRepublican state representative and state auditor candidatePam Myhra by 3.3 percentage points in the general election.^[6] Myhra challenged the 2020 election results, but a judge dismissed the case for the appellant's failure to state a claim and a lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.^[1] Hanson has been reelected twice since redistricting, winning in district 55A by 6.1 points in2022^[7] and 6.8 points in2024.^[8]

Hanson authored "Travis's Law", which requires 911 operators to refer calls to mental health teams trained to deescalate serious mental health episodes. The bill was named after Travis Jordan, a man considering suicide who was shot and killed byMinneapolis police in 2018. Hanson's bill passed with bipartisan support and was signed by Governor Walz.^[9]

Hanson has advocated thelegalization of marijuana in Minnesota, arguing it should be done by legislation, not a constitutional referendum.^[5] She has said that regulating marijuana would benefit public health and public safety.^[10]

Hanson authored legislation to repeal a gag order on the study for aDan Patch commuter rail line that would linkNorthfield, Minnesota toMinneapolis. She said that the line, which would run throughSavage, Minnesota, could improve public transportation in her district.^[11] In February 2022, in response to high gas prices, she joined other DFL legislators advocating for a temporary repeal of the state gas tax.^[12]

Hanson signed on to a letter calling on the Biden administration to stopLine 3, a tar sands pipeline proposed to cut through Minnesota tribal lands.^[13]

Hanson serves as vice chair of the Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee, and sits on the Children and Families Finance and Policy, Higher Education Finance and Policy, and Human Services Policy Committees.^[1]

Hanson lives inBurnsville, Minnesota, and has two children.^[1]

• Jessica Hanson atMinnesota Legislators Past & Present
• Official House of Representatives website
• Official campaign website

• Living people
• University of Northwestern – St. Paul alumni
• St. Catherine University alumni
• Metropolitan State University alumni
• Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• Women state legislators in Minnesota
• 21st-century American women politicians
• 1986 births
• 21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature
• Politicians from Burnsville, Minnesota

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata